Man found dead in backseat of Houston police officer's vehicle

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Photo of Houston Police Department vehicle

HOUSTON - Houston Police are investigating the death of a man in his 40s after his body was found in the backseat of an officer's vehicle in Downtown Houston on Saturday afternoon.

What we know

Investigators say the officer parked his marked police vehicle, a Ford Explorer, in a parking area at 150 Chenevert Street, which is near where I-69 crosses over Runnels Street about 9:45 a.m. on Wednesday when his shift was over. Then, around 2 p.m. on Saturday, the officer returned to his vehicle for his next shift.

Police say the officer opened the front passenger door, which was unlocked, and found items that were not his on the front seat. The officer then found the dead man in the backseat prisoner cage of the vehicle.

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The investigation

A preliminary investigation reveals the man, who is believed to be in his 40s, was not arrested by HPD. It appears he entered the patrol vehicle and locked himself in the back seat, which is designed so that prisoners cannot open it from the back seat.

Investigators believe the man tried to crawl through the rear cage and into the back cargo area of the vehicle and was stuck.

The man appeared to be homeless and was possibly trying to get out of the elements.

Police also said the mileage of the patrol vehicle was checked, and it was confirmed no one else had driven the vehicle since it was parked on Wednesday.